Self opening and delivering envelope



R. w. BROWN SELF OPENING AND DELIVERING ENVELOPE Sept. 4, 1923.

Filed Dec. 1, 1921 A TTOR/VEY Patented Sept. 4, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

-BDLAN"D W: BROWN, 0]? NEW YORK, N. Y.

sELE ormmvean'n nEEIvEame ENVELOPE.

Application filed December 1, 1921. Serial No. 519,126.

Improvements in Self Opening and Delivering Envelopes, of which the following is.

a s ecification.

his invention relates to stationery and has particular reference to envelopes of the self-openin nature.

A.mong t e objects of the invention is to provide an envelope with an insert either therein or to be furnished with the envelope for insertion thereinto, the insert being so arranged or'constructed as to constitute a cut ter or opener for the envelope in the hands of the person to whom it is addressed and also as an ejector or deliverer for the letter sheet or message, the opening of the envelope and the delivery of the message sheet or carrier bein accomplished by a single simple pull of t e insert from the envelope.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in the arran ment and combination of parts hereina er described and claimed, and while the invention is not restricted to the exact details of construction disclosed or suggested herein, still for the purpose of illustrating a practical embodiment thereof reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a face view of one form of my improvement with the insert indicated velo in normal carryiig ition in the envelope rady'to be pull or delivering the messa epr message carrier.

- ig. 2 is a face view of the insert and message carrier separated from the en- Flg. 3 is a transverse section on the lin 3-3 ,of Fig. 2. a

ReferringI now more specifically to the drawings, indicate at 10 an envelope which in general construction or design may be similar to any well known envelope and which may be provided with a window at 11 if desired, but which is not claimed herein. The only departure from any standard envelope is in the provision of an open notch 12, shown as a semi-circle and located preferably at thecenter of one end of the envelope. This notch might be located elsewhere, but for most convenience and best results I locate it as indicated.

The above mentioned insert is indicated at 13 as being a simple flat sheet of paper or the like of a weight or quality which for practical purposes may be no heavier or better than the stock of the envelope. Generally speaking the insert is rectangular but is provided with an end 13 in the form of a 'tra ezoid. In other words this end is provi ed with two beveled or inclined edges 14 serving, as cutters for the end 15 of the envelope, while between the cutting edges 14 is a point portion 16 of any suitable specific'shape and which maybe printed or otherwise furnished if desired with the legend Pull here.- This point portion 16 lies exposed in the notch 12 of the envelope after being inserted thereinto in the usual manner through the open fla of the envelope and after which the sea ing flap will be sealed as usual for first class mail. Obviousl 'for open or inspection mail the closing 0 the envelope may be performed in any customary manner, and my improved openerv and message Tdeliverer will operate just the same ,asin connection with sealed or first class mail. On the opposite end of the insert 13 from the point 16 I preferably provide "a notch or recess 17 which for economy of material may be a counterpart of the point portion aforesaid so that there .will be factically no waste of material in cutting t ese inserts as indicated by the dotted lines at 18, Fig. 2., The purpose of this recess 17 is to insure clearance within the end of the envelope where it will be gras ed by the thumb/and finger of one hand w 'le the point 16 of the insert will be grasped and pulled by the thumb and finger; of the other hand, thus insuring that the end holding the envelope will not gri the insert while the cutting of the enve ope and the delivery of the message carrier take place. As one' becomes familiar with the ease and effectiveness of the device as an opener, the notch or recess at 17 is not essential. Except for the. features of construction described above,-the insert is preferably made to substantiall fill the envelope as to len h and wi th.

ile in some instances the insert may constitute in itself a message carrier, for use in connection with letter sheets or circular material, I su gest the use of a slot 19 formed longitudinally along the insert and at any desired portion thereof, as adjacent to one edge, and through which a portion of the folded sheet, as shown at S, may be passed and which together with the insert will be slipped into place in the envelope before sea-ling. When the insert is pulled as indicated with the fingers of one hand, the envelope being held with the fingers of the other hand, the cutting edges 14 cut directly through the end edge.l5 of the envelo e throughout the Width of the insert, an the message carrier or sheet S being threaded through the slot will naturally be drawn from the envelope at the same time or in the same movement and thereafter is easil separated from the insert which may t en bediscarded along with the used envelope. The insert may be made memei if desired of a better quality of material and may be preserved for repeated use.

I claim:

The herein described envelope cutting insert comprisin a substantially rectangular sheet of materla-l to a proximately fill the envelope to be opene thereby, but having at one end two beveled edges and having remote from said end means for making positive engagement with the message sheet for the delivery thereof coincident with the cutting open of the envelope, the means for engaging and delivering the message sheet bemg a slot formed through the insert. I

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ROLAND W. BROWN. 

